Craig Davidson

Monday, May 25th

Image Management

Hi All,

I link to these articles only as they form a cautious example of some things you can do wrong when it comes to presenting a public profile of oneself. Now, clearly, for someone such as myself there's really no big issue because my profile is so microscopic as to be visible only under a compound lens. But ... for anyone who may read this and go on to publish a book, make a film, do great things in business, etc, please, use me as a 'how not to' present yourself guide.

#1:
www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/movies/calgary-writers-work-to-hit-the-screen/article1151325/

... what a hideous photo! What a ballonhead I am! That was taken way back in 2005 when I was pre-steroidal. I think the poor photographer about had a conniption trying to get a decent pic of me ... plus he failed. Not his fault. Second problem: I should not have said I drive a 'special needs bus.' That makes it sounds like the bus itself has special needs. It has regular needs: gas, oil, that I coo sweet nothings into the carburator each morning so it will start. I'm lying: I coo to it to satisfy my own odd needs. I should have said, simply, I drive a school bus. Which is what I do.

#2:
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/afterword/archive/2009/05/25/craig-davidson-s-stories-getting-big-screen-treatment.aspx

... another ghastly photo! The photog said something like: "Let's get you sitting backward a-straddle that chair holding your book" and I did, because I'm a doofus. It's tough to look dignified when you're sitting backwards on one of your grandparents' old kitchen chairs (I inherited them) holding a copy of your failed novel. Beyond that, look at the computer screen behind me: the photog suggested that, in addition to sitting ass-backwards on a wooden chair, it would be awesome if there were another, shirtless and sweaty photo of myself on the computer. Good idea! I knew it was a bad idea. I still went along.

Never do these things. I can't say I'll never do them again, because, as just stated, I'm a moron. But you should not. These are not 'public profile enhancers.' They are, uhhhh, just bad, bad, bad ideas.

I do congratulate Jacques Audiard on the Grand Prix. I think he should've won the Palme, but hey, that's just me.

All best, Craig.

Craig Davidson on 05.25.09 @ 11:33 AM EST [link]

Tuesday, May 19th

You Can Credit My Dad For This Bit of Info

Hi All,

My father has an old google alert that lets him know anytime "Rust and Bone" pops up anywhere on the Internet. So he sent me this link, which is French director Jacques Audiard speaking at Cannes where his new film, A PROPHET, is being screened. Sounds like it's in contention for the top prizes, too, so very good on him. I loved the two films of his I've seen, "De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté" (The Beat My Heart Skipped) and "Sur mes lèvres" (Read My Lips).

www.screendaily.com/festivals/cannes/cannes-news/audiard-plans-dark-and-tragic-follow-up-to-a-prophet/5001334.article

Very best, Craig.
Craig Davidson on 05.19.09 @ 08:29 PM EST [link]

Saturday, May 16th

A Must Read!

Hi All,

So I was watching True Hollywood Stories today. It comes on just before Talk Soup, which I'm a big fan of. Joel McHale may well be one of the funniest guys on TV right now. Anyway, in THS Family Fued was chronicled. It's had a pretty interesting history. 5 hosts over the years: Richard Dawson was the original (which many of my generation will remember as the controlling host in THE RUNNING MAN, the Arnie movie, where he was shot down a tube in a metal dunbuggy contraption at the end and blew up against a billboard promoting HIS OWN SHOW---Iiiiiiii-rony!), then Ray Combs who died rather tragically, then Louie Anderson, then Richard Karn from Home Improvement fame, now that smooth-talking fellow from Seinfeld and Dancing With The Stars.

Anyway, I was watching the Louie Anderson portion and discovered he's written a few books. I like Louie, think he's a fantastic comedian and seems like a goodhearted soul; I wanted to see the books he'd written. So I head to amazon and see he's written a book called "Dear Dad: Letters from an Adult Child." And true to form it sounds like an affecting, honest memoir. Then I scrolled down to the reviews and I must say, the very first one caught my eye. If you want, hit the link, scroll down and read it:

www.amazon.com/Dear-Dad-Letters-Adult-Child/dp/0140148450/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242512901&sr=1-2

... after this I thought of some other, similar type of endorsements. Like, saaaaaay:

A Must Read for Anyone Who Requires Oxygen to Maintain Their Vital Signs!

or

A Must Read for Anyone Who Has Ever Taken in Caloric Units of Sustenance!

or

A Must Read for Anyone Who Has Ever Been Born!

or

A Must Read for Anyone With One or More Limbs!

or

A Must Read for Anyone Who Has Ever Experienced a Random Firing of Neural Synapse Clusters Colloquially Known as 'Thought'!

or

A Must Read for Anyone Who Reads!

That said, it's good that someone's out there endorsing books, Louie Anderson's or otherwise.

All best, Craig.
Craig Davidson on 05.16.09 @ 07:51 PM EST [link]